


The American Pasttime

by peoriapeoria



Series: Seven Days [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: AU, Baseball, Gen, History
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-31
Updated: 2012-12-31
Packaged: 2017-11-23 03:19:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/617492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peoriapeoria/pseuds/peoriapeoria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Retirement allows the indulgence of hobbies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The American Pasttime

You could take the kid out of Brooklyn, but you couldn't take Brooklyn out of the kid. Steve Rogers made Jackie Robinson's first major league game, courtesy of Howard Stark.

When a decade later Captain America is asked if he were in a room with Stalin, Hitler and O'Malley with only two bullets, he inquires if he's got his shield. More than one man, for that matter several women, parley their ability to convey the wordless 'answer' of his smile into a spotted round, a promotion, an interview.

He commends the Soviet Union on their strides to making worldwide live broadcast of baseball possible, and exhorts American students to do their part at school.

The U.N. secretary gets drawn in umpire gear with some frequency.

Steve Rogers spends much of the 1970s bringing baseball to the Middle East and establishing the Monday game and kosher red hots. He eats seasoned chickpeas and flavored ices in various stadiums. Photographers love the ops and there are better pictures to take than his unchanging face. In private meetings the state department reminds regimes that an air of democracy gets them more than its lack.

There are setbacks, bombings, revolutions and coups. Designated hitter and pinch runner rules catch on. Men and then families get used to sharing team allegiances that cross sectarian and national borders. Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq all funnel money into infrastructure, competing in the amenities of parks, transportation, player contracts. Public gardens and museums are common.

Women start their own league, which men can hear broadcast on radio by female announcers but not see past boyhood. Israel televises their own women's games.

You can take the Dodgers out of Brooklyn, but you couldn't take the baseball out of Steve Rogers. Or out of more than a hundred million in the Middle East. Not bad for a kid from Brooklyn, not bad for a kids' game. Bases loaded.

**Author's Note:**

> I leave it to the reader to figure out how Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic play into all of this. Please take it as given that in between these matters Steve is reminding Howard how fast children grow, and is a good Uncle Steve to Tony. And doing his best being a dad to his kids that look more like cousins and siblings as time passes.


End file.
